F Blues Guitar Survival Kit - What You Need to know

[@JensLarsen]

Sorry I am a little late to the party. I drove up to Denmark with my boys for my mothers birthday and we got stuck in traffic for 3.5 hours. Hope you find the lesson useful 🙂👍

[@Shuzies]

Oh man Traffic.....I got tired of that ...so I now live in a town of 46 people....only traffic is sometimes cows being moved down the one road we have....life is good. rc

[@JensLarsen]

Haha! Where my parents live it is like that 😁

[@Shuzies]

Where do you Live?

[@jeremyhickersonsalem]

"It's not about using all the hip scales and strange extensions, it's about playing some solid lines on a base of material that's already there" - what a great and helpful statement! And I believe you're right.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much Jeremy! That is at least my experience from transcriptions of my favorite solos 🙂

[@einemailadressenbesitzerei8816]

but after that if one is curious, he has to go further

[@rustydavis5350]

Chet bakers jealous blues with duke Jordan is an interesting f blues with some good scat soloing.... Thanks for posting this it’s very helpful

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@rodolfoamaralguitar]

Great lesson! You summarized very well in 8 minutes the nuts and bolts.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Rodolfo!

[@bubba-rh3hz]

Thank you Jens, great lesson.

[@MaxSchranner]

Thank you for the great advice.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it!

[@beraldolilli8965]

Thanks Jens. Really enjoy your lessons.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it, Beraldo! 🙂

[@crespum]

I love the solo. Both simple and full of color. Congrats and thanks for the channel!

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome 🙂

[@nickburmanmusic]

Gold. A months worth of practicing right here! Thanks Jens.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much Nick! 🙂

[@alanhowell3646]

Another great lesson Jens. You’re doing a great job, very inspirational

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much Alan! 🙂

[@mrsunlite]

For other approaches I always listen out and play with the thirds of the chords as well as listening for any alterations in the comping chords to play off as well

[@JensLarsen]

Sounds solid! :)

[@brad724p]

Great lesson, Jens. Thanks. Love the way you make the basics sound so great. I gotta work on that.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Brad! 🙂To me it is mostly about that:having the basics down 🙂

[@brad724p]

A good thing for me to remember for sure. Of course, a lot of it is in your superb phrasing. I hope it rubs off onto me somehow - ha.

[@MrDrPrUnstupid]

What a great video! I can't appreciate this channel enough.

[@danhope77]

So true, basic materials, arpeggios for ever e passing notes, see the arpeggios hidden in all scales.

[@anthonydemitre9392]

You ask what are some of our strategies for playing jazz blues, I been following you, because my last good teacher was in the late 70's and your lessons start where I left off back then, I've mainly use the knowledge I have and use my ear but this was not systematic, your channel has given me a lot more choices but your latest on using pentatonic's was fantastic and this one is good too. Thanks, Jens

[@brucepuckett3503]

Another great lesson...thanks Jens!

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome Bruce! 🙂

[@thomasmejlsing5429]

This is so incredibly good!! Thanks a lot!!

[@frvkmana]

another awesome lesson! thank you very much Jens, have a nice day

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Ferry! I am glad you like it 🙂

[@Shuzies]

Jens....simple but Nice for me.....Thank You

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Ron! 🙂

[@carlosmonteiro3425]

Great lesson,,,,,!!!!!!Thank you for sharing the knowledge....!!!!

[@JensLarsen]

You are very welcome Guto! Glad you find it useful!

[@cacophonyguitar]

Wow! I wanted to message asking where should I start with Jazz Blues. You're also a mindreader then. Thanks

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! Glad to hear that 🙂

[@deon5329]

This is so helpful. Thanks!! 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it! 🙂

[@joehernandez5600]

Great lesson. Thanks.

[@JensLarsen]

You are very welcome Joe! Happy easter 🙂

[@franckcebret4021]

Very useful basics..!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Franck! 👍

[@richardsorice4509]

Hi Jens, another great video. Thanks! I love playing jazz blues, especially The Thumb and Sundown, by Wes Montgomery. I use some of the ideas you have here plus some octaves, block chord solos and some hammer on and pull off bluesy double stops. One device I like is, playing out a little by implying tritone substitution. I may play an idea or a quote over the I chord and play the same idea a half step lower when I get to the IV chord.

[@JensLarsen]

Sounds solid Richard! Love the thumb as well 🙂

[@kuzeysirinka4265]

What a solo at the end! Really reminded me of what Miles did in his solos, especially around the Kind of blue, Milestones era. Simple ideas with a lot of space and coming back to the original motif constantly. I know that it might have been just another demonstration for you but it truly was beautiful! I find that solo ideas like these are the hardest to execute and that is my goal as a musician!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you very much! I have forgotten all about it, but I am going to listen to it again now! :D

[@kuzeysirinka4265]

No worries! I've been watching vids on your channel for quite some time now, big fan! I understand that you reside in the Netherlands, where would one be able to see you playing live? Or if you have a show soon here in Brussels perhaps?

[@JazzgutsVGvanKampen]

A very useful and solid lesson Lars, where the dim comes I often use an octotonic half-whole on Bb7, which in my ears work great, but your scale is ofcourse a good choice, all the best, Vic.

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it Vic! 🙂

[@dasdingo6713]

Jesus ! i found my Great teacher

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like the video 🙂

[@daniortiz3480]

Great lesson to get started with Jazz Blues! Whitch is the relation between the Bdim chord and the C Harmonic minor scale? Thanks for sharing !

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! Bdim is the 7th degree in C harmonic minor. Is that what you mean?

[@daniortiz3480]

@@JensLarsen Yes but I still don't get why you choose this scale. I guess I will have to study more harmony to understand. Thanks for answering!

[@JensLarsen]

@@daniortiz3480 That is essential taking the scale I use on Bb7 and changing the Bb to a B, which is what is happening in the chords 🙂

[@daniortiz3480]

@@JensLarsen I thought it had a complicated explanation hah, now I understand. Thanks again for your enormous kindness!

[@JensLarsen]

It's just a basic IV to #IV

[@omcho89]

Great lesson Jens, and great advices, it gives us newbies hope that we can manage to play changes with some simple and not-that-advanced stuff ;). I have one question though. I don't understand how to you "calculate" c harmonic minor scale for Bdim? I know your explaination of IV#dim chord to play harmonic minor from third degree, if its regular tonality in question (for example, if the song is in Cmajor, for F#dim one would play e harmonic minor?). I can't figure out how do you use c harmonic here, considering that blues in F7 (this dominant as center key makes me anxious), i would play a harmonic minor maybe? Please do inform me how this thing works... Take care mate!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Omar! I actually have the "calculation" written out on my website. Maybe have a look, link in the video description 🙂

[@omcho89]

Fantastic, thank you! I guess you can't look as F7 as ultimate root like in regular situations (the one I described, that you actually explained in another video of yours), it seems that Bb7 becomes center key for the moment, so Bdim is relativized then from that point... Jazz/Blues is twisted indeed, with all these dominant chords ;). Take care!

[@JSustain]

This is indeed a survival kit for F7 Blues! I am going to copy one of your fellow Jazz instructors and adopt these voicings and fingerings as my new "safe-space," default positions. I do have one question about the B Dim. I noticed that you played a b6 on the second string. What do you call that chord voicing? Is is just a color note that you added to the top, or maybe a chromatic note for movement's sake? This is an old lesson so no worries if you miss this post. I bought the lesson and it has been very helpful!

[@JSustain]

Nevermind, Jens. Your recommendation of using the Harmonic Minor Scale's modes had answered my question. Basically, that b6 note that you added to the B dim chord is a part of several notes in the 7th Mode (I hope you don't mind me using that term "modes") of C Harmonic Minor, which has a lot of the diminished notes in it, including the chord tones of B Dim 7. In fact, Jens, your use of modes of harmonic minor seem to be a little easier for me to use to get what I consider a "Jazzy" sound. This was quite a discovery. Thank you again.

[@amiwan9596]

im hoping to really get jazz blues in my system and once i can play thru a whole song start learning my first standard

[@JensLarsen]

Go for it! Did you check out the F Jazz Blues study guide? jenslarsen.nl/study-guides-how-to-learn-jazz/

[@amiwan9596]

@@JensLarsen wow thanks! I will look into that, do you think that my first comment describes an efficient way to build up my skills to start soloing and comping more complex songs? At the moment blues seems the most accessible to me. Thanks for the response!

[@miguelcastano3210]

Thanks for the job, man!

[@JensLarsen]

You're very welcome! I am glad you found it useful!

[@miguelcastano3210]

Jens Larsen well, is so basic but I find it usefull for the comunitty : ) This and all your videos!!

[@miguelcastano3210]

Can I support in some way this channel? Maybe a little money input every month? Its a suggestion.

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Miguel! You can join the Patreon community? Did you check out my Patreon page?

[@miguelcastano3210]

Jens Larsen no! Where??

[@fourthofseven]

I am a new subscriber & to learning jazz guitar. Please advise if there is any way I can print the tabs & chord shapes diagrams as it will be easier to learn & practice this way. Thanks! i

[@JensLarsen]

There is a link to my website in the video description if there is a PDF available 🙂

[@rodneycampbell3825]

Although its basic I love how it sounds like that swinging rhythm

[@JensLarsen]

Glad you like it 🙂

[@davidtardio9804]

Great post - always good to go back to the basics to make sure you have a solid foundation. Question: Do you prefer the Barry Harris method of playing the scales over the changes, or do you prefer to play continuous eighth notes to connect each scale?

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you David! I would say that Barry Harris is for beginners and the never-ending scale exercise is for more advanced players. There is a fairly big level difference there 🙂

[@AshishGershom]

Great.. I love it... But it's to hard to understand.. May be I have to work out from beginning... Pl let me know how can we work out.. I want to learn from beginning ..like basics

[@JensLarsen]

First learn the exercises in chorus 1-3 so that you can play them in time. Then try to combine the arpeggio and the scale to make some lines. You can use my solo as inspiration :) does that help?

[@berndkoelbl3852]

Good Morning Jens ! What is the function of that blues ribbon over the saddle and the head plate of your 335 ? Damping ? Thanks Jens

[@JensLarsen]

It's hairband that I use as a mute for open strings, but it does not really do anything when it is behind the nut- I sometimes use it while recording or practicing legato.

[@Kainthereaper]

Hi Jens, I was wondering where you get all of those groovy backing tracks?

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you! I make them myself. Some of them are available through Patreon. :)

[@bubba4001]

Jens, You have very developed teaching skills. I'm curious as to how you would play and what resources (scales, etc.) you would use on the song 'Stormy Monday' by Bobby Blue Bland? Regards, David

[@nestordelafuente1373]

Nice one jens, can you do an improvisation on (It had to be you), thank you

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you Nestor! I don't think that one is well known enough for me to do a lesson on it. Sorry 🙂

[@nestordelafuente1373]

Its alright jens, i really learn so many things from you. Thanks again :)

[@StephenFarthing]

Jens, thanks very much for this great lesson. I’m starting to revisit jazz guitar after a spell playing bass. Your lesson is very helpful as I’m working my way through Watermelon Man by Herbie Hancock which I’m sure you know is a 16 bar blues in F. But one thing puzzles me. I’m using a score in one of the Abersold books. There is no key signature on the score which according to my very limited knowledge means it’s in C. But above it the chord names are in F as is the recording. I’ve noticed in some fake books as well that the scores are in C but that’s not what the tune is or the chords. Why is this, for a beginner it’s very confusing. Thanks in advance, Steve

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks Stephen! I think there was a period in the 60's and 70's when they decided that Jazz should not be notated in a key. It's quite silly, but they were also trying to explain everything with modes (that was silly too btw) Don't worry about it and use common sense as much as possible!

[@StephenFarthing]

Jens Larsen thanks Jens, that’s clarified it for me. I liked the Hendrix video you did. It showed us that it’s possible for jazzers to learn from players from other genres. In parallel with my jazz studies I’m working on some Jerry Garcia/Greatful Dead material. I’ve always regarded Garcia’s long improvisations as jazz rather than rock and there is as much to learn from him than more conventional jazz players. May be you could think about this for a future video? Anyway once I’ve discovered how to use Patreon I’ll drop you some euros. Thanks again!

[@JensLarsen]

Thank you so much Stephen! I know so little about Jerry Garcia that it is unlikely that I can really make a video about him :) But I guess their improvisations are indeed as much jazz as they are rock.

[@StephenFarthing]

Jens, thanks for the reply. It’s difficult to know where to start with Garcia, but here is a link to what I believe is his greatest live work. Enjoy kzbin.info/www/bejne/l32QlYiQf96Xmdk

[@StephenFarthing]

Don’t worry about a Garcia video. I already have plenty of study material

[@johnchan2156]

Typo on 4:35 Bdim7 :)

[@JensLarsen]

Indeed 🙂

[@TomRubicon5949]

I love how you make these videos thinking I actually understand thee things haha

[@rodolfoamaralguitar]

I observed that you tend to think in derivative approach (like G harmonic minor scale over D7 chord) instead of the parallel approach (D mixolydian b9,b13). I made a check list using the parallel approach in every key, every possibility, but man.... it is overwhelming and redundant. I know that parallel is more specific, but...lots of names and in the and 7 scales are really 1. Any thoughts about parallel vs derivative ? Thank you in advance

[@JensLarsen]

It's not one or the other to me. But I don't practice modes as scales and I prefer to practice the modes as playing over the chord, nit as a technical thing

[@FunkMasterTex]

Jens, I'm looking for some solo tips for a regular Fmaj to C7 repeating Progression. I feel like these tips based in F7 aren't exactly what I'm looking for. Is that correct?

[@jerryi.8526]

Thanks for the lesson --very helpful, as usual. I am confused on a minor point, though. Doesn't the B Dim arpeggio include an F, not a G (B D F Ab)? And wouldn't the 6th of B Dim scale be an F#, not a G? I suppose I'm missing something here, but if you could clarify, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

[@brad724p]

Hey, Jens - Any words on timing you could integrate into a lesson sometime? Or maybe you already have a lesson available on this (?). Perhaps it's so basic it's not worth mentioning, but In your example here it seems you're playing a little behind the beat, which gives it some real swing (which I sorely lack in my playing).

[@JensLarsen]

I did cover it in a Q&A about two years ago. I will probably return to it at some point though :) The most important thing is to practice being precise though

[@szabolcssandorczako1620]

Never I will understand why is written for example a C7 chord if this is a C13 ? (because of there is with "a" note on upper register)

[@JensLarsen]

That is easy to fix: In jazz, the one playing the chords is free to interpret the chord symbol and add the extensions and alterations that fits how he or she is playing. For that reason, I usually try to stick with the chord type and not specify the extensions like 9 or b9. Does that help?

[@szabolcssandorczako1620]

@@JensLarsen Thank you, Sir! I love your site! This is the best jazz-line school. My approach is when I look a C7 I automatically touch this chord and not using the ninth. But I know in your issues it presents added notes too (most of the time). I'm so glad that we communicated each others! Thx - from Budapest :)

[@JensLarsen]

Glad to help! :)

[@Dascoo77]

Nice! Good skills 👌Think you’ll like my guitar videos actually!

[@JensLarsen]

Thanks! Why do you think that?

[@kennytseguitar8574]

"Im watching you"...THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THE UNDERTAKER TOLD JOHN CENA!